Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan arrested in case linked to 2023 Army headquarters attack

Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, was arrested on Tuesday (Jan 9) in a case linked to the attack on the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi on May 9, 2023. It was announced hours after his release warrant was issued in the Cypher case. 

Khan has already been imprisoned since August 2023 after facing a conviction in a case related to selling state gifts. 

On Tuesday, Khan was summoned by the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi for the May 9 cases. 

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder attended the court's proceedings via video link. 

Local reports mentioned that the former prime minister could not be produced in court by Adiala jail authorities because of security concerns. 

Police asked for a physical remand of Khan in the GHQ attack case during the hearing, but the request was ruled out by ATC Judge Malik Aijaz Asif, who also directed the police to interrogate Khan in Adiala prison. 

Earlier on Monday, release orders in the Cypher case were issued by the special court, which was formed to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act. 

Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who issued the release order, said as quoted by local reports that Khan's bail had been approved. He added that he should be released if not wanted in any other case. 

However, he remained imprisoned because of the arrest in the Toshakhna and 190 million pound Al-Qadir Trust scandal. 

A mob of people had attacked Pakistan's army headquarters on May 9, hours after Khan was arrested from inside a court in Islamabad. 

More than 20 military installations and state buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, were damaged or destroyed in the violent protests that erupted after Khan's arrest. 

Khan is facing dozens of criminal cases since he was ousted from power in April 2022 following a parliamentary no-trust vote. The most prominent of these cases include the Toshakhana case, the Cypher case, and the Al-Qadir Trust case. 

Not just Khan, other party members have also been facing numerous cases since the ouster of the party from power in April 2022.